Stockpiles of excess, poorly-secured, or otherwise at-risk conventional weapons continue to pose a challenge to peace and prosperity worldwide. In the wrong hands, SA/LW fuel political instability and violence, while more advanced conventional weapons, such as MANPADS, pose a serious threat to international security. Aging munitions stockpiles may also explode without warning, devastating nearby population centers. Meanwhile, landmines and ERW, including cluster munition remnants, artillery shells, and mortars, continue to kill and maim people even after conflicts end.

Safe access to territory is a pre-requisite to ensure that persons in need of international protection are able to seek and access protection. Maintaining and strengthening access is essential to ensure that all those seeking asylum are afforded the opportunity in a safe and dignified manner.

Partnership with Border Authorities to support safe access to protection

UNHCR Serbia and partners under its programme continued to observe new arrivals in 2018: both irregular movements through green borders as well as by air to Belgrade airport. Below charts show the arrival trend from the beginning of 2017 through April 2018 by country of transit and by nationality.

UNHCR and partners continue to note an increase in new arrivals when assisting 253 (compared to 230 during the preceding two weeks – below chart refers). Arrivals from fYR Macedonia remained at the same level (55%), as did those by air (31%), while fewer arrived from Bulgaria (4%). Men continued to constitute majority with 62%, while 9% were women and 29% children. Nationals of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran constituted relatively equal number of new arrivals.

3,199 new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants were counted in Serbia on 13 May. 2,795 (i.e. 87%) were accommodated in 18 governmental centres. Around 400 were still observed outside of centres: around 200 in Belgrade City and some 200 camping close to borders with Croatia or Hungary.

DTM flow monitoring data compiled from national authorities and IOM offices show that the number of arrivals through Mediterranean routes between January and March 2018 is half the number of arrivals in the same period in 2017. In the first quarter of 2018 a total of 1,956 migrants and asylum seekers arrived in Europe using different land and sea routes, in comparison to 34,531 registered in the first quarter of 2017. As previously reported, the decrease is mainly due to the drop in arrivals in Italy.

In February, just under 3,900 refugees and migrants entered Europe via Italy, Greece and Spain, less than half the number that entered in January. With lower numbers of people crossing from North Africa to Italy by sea compared to last year, the route to Spain experienced the most movement of the three Mediterranean routes with over 1,500 arrivals, followed by the route to Greece with over 1,200 and less than 1,100 to Italy.

Between 1 and 31 January 2018, over 8,000 people arrived via the Mediterranean to Europe, an 11% increase compared to the same month in 2017 during which over 7,200 arrived. Arrivals duing January comprised of 19% children, 13% women and 68% men.

Over 25,300 children arrived in Greece, Italy, Bulgaria and Spain between January and September 2017, of whom more than 14,800 (58%) were unaccompanied and separated children (UASC). Arrivals in the third quarter of 2017 increased by 33% compared to Q2 2017 (14,800 vs. 11,100).

More than 13,800 unaccompanied and separated children 92% of all children who arrived to Italy through the Central Mediterranean Route were UASC.

9,483 surveys conducted with migrants in Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in 2017

Focus of the report

This report contains an analysis of the responses provided by migrants and refugees travelling along
the Central and the Eastern Mediterranean routes and interviewed under IOM’s Displacement
Tracking Matrix (DTM) activities in 2017. Male and female migrants are systematically compared.

The Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs has released the 16th Edition of To Walk the Earth in Safety, a report underscoring the accomplishments of the U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction Program.